Paedophile gang 'sick, callous and cruel'

A paedophile gang behind the abuse and rape of young children, including a baby, have been described in court as "sick, depraved, callous and cruel."

The seven men to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court arranged for the abuse to be streamed on the internet between 2013 and 2014.

They were convicted of 29 child sex offences including the multiple rape of a child under 13.

Judge Julian Lambert is expected to sentence the men on Friday.

Bristol Crown Court heard the men preyed on the families of youngsters to gain access to them, in one case grooming a mother and father before their baby was born.

Members travelled hundreds of miles to carry out the attacks together, or used internet streaming to provide real-time encouragement and directions to those involved in abuse.

Online chat logs revealed the gang would offer advice on using "date rape" drugs or over-the-counter medication to drowse children and babies, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Robert Davies told the court he would not go into graphic detail about the offences, nor the content of chat logs, footage and images recovered.

"The manner of it is sufficiently disturbing that it would not be capable of being reported by the press in any eventuality," Mr Davies said.

"It clearly makes for almost unrepeatable, sick, depraved, cruel, callous - all of these words can be used appropriately when looking at this material."

Previously a jury convicted former actor John Denham, 50, from Wiltshire - previously known as Benjamin Harrop - of conspiracy to sexually assault a child under 13.

Matthew Stansfield, 35, from Hampshire, was found guilty of conspiracy to rape a child under 13. Denham was cleared of the same charge.

Five others pleaded guilty to offences including rape of a child and conspiracy to rape at an earlier hearing. They are: